At what age do children start to get braces?

Posted on July 21st, 2013 by admin

Once a child starts to lose their baby teeth and the adult teeth appear to be growing in, it is time to get a consultation from your local orthodontist. It is never too early for a consult as you can always go back each year to see the progress of how the adult teeth are growing in. In some cases children as young as 7 years old are advised to get a consult.

While children usually don’t get braces until 11 to 15 years old, there are cases where younger children get them on early to take advantage of a soft jaw where an overbite or under bite is present.

Once the adult teeth grow in, an orthodontist can begin the treatment or at least advise whether treatment is needed. If there is still some growth needed, the doctor will usually ask to come back in one year to be more sure if the child will need braces and what route to take. When the jaw is soft and the teeth are much easier to move, a young child can see results fast.

Bottom line, when those adult teeth start to grow in, get the consultation from your local orthodontist whether they look straight or not. Getting a professional opinion from an orthodontist usually does not cost much and your child will thank you in years to come. If you need to find an orthodontist, please use our orthodontist directory for a doctor near you.